Hay Festival 2008 - programme here - booking here

* * * SPARE TICKETS (two of each) for Tuesday events - email alison@ex-parrot.com * * *
2.30pm [217] AD 381: Heretics, Pagans and The Christian State,   5.30pm [229] Tariq Ramadan on the Meanings of the Life of Muhammad,   8.15pm [241] Seizure - The Ballad and The Book (Erica Wagner and Nick Hennessey)

Basics

We have booked Celtic Lodge (Newport Street, Hay-on-Wye, Hereford HR3 5BG; map here) for the nights of Friday 23 - Saturday 31 May 2008 inclusive (we can also have the nights of Thursday 22 May and Sunday 1 June for no extra cost, if we ask). The cost works out at a maximum of £23.08 pppn, probably a bit cheaper depending on late and ongoing shuffling round the edges of people's dates (in which case Helen will contact people with a view either to issuing refunds or to adding to a communal booze fund, as wished).

The house owner is away during the festival, and is leaving her daughter and others in charge; they can be contacted on 01497 847422. It looks as though either James or Anna and Tom will be the first to arrive on Friday, and we've made arrangements for getting hold of the keys.

We need to bring our own towels.

See the Festival website and, in particular, the programme for more information. Booking opened late afternoon on Tuesday 29 April, and it's sensible to get your tickets as soon as you can; some things (notably the Radio 4 events, which are free) have sold out.

Extras

Trains: Hereford is reasonably served by trains. New for this year's festival is a special bus service (No. 21) between Hay and the train and bus stations at Hereford: timetable here. If arriving at the wrong time to get the bus, it's often possible to taxi-share with other festival goers, usually easily identifiable on arrival at Hereford. The Hay Festival website travel page has taxi numbers and other useful travel info.

Parking: according to the owner of Celtic Lodge, and unsurprisingly, "parking gets a bit chaotic during the festival". However, there is on-road parking for two cars outside Celtic Lodge, and a few spaces at the end of Wyeford Road, which leads down to the river from "almost opposite" the house (actually slightly nearer to the centre of Hay). All are "first come, first served" public parking spaces.

Pub: Helen, Tom L, Anna, Tom S and Roshana have booked a table at the excellent Griffin at Felinfach, about 13 miles/20 minutes' drive from Hay, for dinner at 9pm on Sunday 25 May. If you want to join us, tell Helen and we'll see if they can squeeze anyone else in. Helen has booked a cab (A2B Taxis, 01874 754007) there and back - pick-up from Celtic Lodge at 8.30pm, pick-up from the Griffin at 11.15pm.
In Hay itself, Anna and Tom recommend the Black Lion as the place to eat. Again, you'd be wise to book.

Circus: looks great. Two or three shows every day. Helen very much wants to go at some point.

Internet access: last year, there was wireless internet access from the festival site. Hay library's five computers also have internet access.

Fringe: brilliant - something's happening this year after all! "Following on from the success of last years collaboration between To Hell and The Hay Fringe we have decided to permanently join forces and become To Hell with Hay Fringe." Hay Comedy Fringe also exists.

Last year's photos: Helen's photos from last year give a rough idea of what Hay is like during festival week (you have to be logged in to flickr, and on Helen's "friends" list, to see the ones that contain people other than her).

Weather

Builth is the nearest place to Hay that the BBC Weather Centre knows about:

Who is staying when